Note: As this project is under construction, the data is based on the most reliable information currently available. This data is thus subject to change until the building has completed and all information can be confirmed and ratified by the CTBUH.

About 111 West 57th Street

In a bold move blending thoughtful design with urban sensitivity, 111 West 57th Street typifies the luxurious extreme of the superslim typology in New York City. Containing only 60 units, the tower will offer an exclusive, centered perspective on Manhattan’s Midtown neighborhood, affording uninhibited views of the entire urban region.

The tower’s form is derived through an unconventional interpretation of what is possible when working with the requirements of the Midtown zoning envelope, multiplying the height of each setback to present a feathered, rather than a stepped, profile. New ways were also explored to exploit the possibilities of terra-cotta, one of the most flexible and beautiful materials from the golden age of the Manhattan skyscraper. Blocks will be extruded and glazed, then stacked into undulating “pilasters” on the east and west façades, their staggered waves combining into a subtle and distinctive moiré pattern. Each pilaster ascends to one of the stepped setbacks above, so the tower appears to dematerialize as it rises. Alternating between them are vertical bands of glazing trimmed with bronze. To the north and south, views of the city and nearby Central Park are maximized through the use of taught, cleanly detailed glass walls. The footprint of the building was kept as compact as possible, positioning it well back from the street to respect and preserve the landmark Steinway Building at its base.

The result is one-of-a-kind superslim: an exercise in sensitive urbanism, the creative use of technology, and a pride of place that could only be found in Manhattan. Topping out at over 435 meters, when completed it will be among the tallest towers in the city, and one of the most slender skyscrapers in the world.

Skin NY
27 Aug 2015, New York City
–
Event
Report
CTBUH New York, in association with the New York Young Professionals Committee hosted an event entitled Skin:NY that focused on high-rise façade design and construction

The Current State of Slender Buildings in NYC
30 Jul 2015, New York City
–
Event
Report
SHoP Architects welcomed a group of architects and engineers for a lively discussion and exchange of ideas about slender buildings.

New York’s New Delirium
Oct 2013, New York City
–
Tour
Report
At least five once-in-a-lifetime multi-acre projects are underway in New York. CTBUH Editor Daniel Safarik reports on his journey to investigate further.

Debating Tall: Luxury Superslims: Bane or Boon?
26 Oct 2015 –
CTBUH Journal, 2015 Issue IV; Michael Stern, JDS Development Group; Mary Rowe, Municipal Art Society of New York
The recent prevalence of extra-thin and tall “superslim” towers in New York, which mostly contain luxury apartments, has been controversial. We felt it was time to air…

The Logic of Luxury 2.0
26 Oct 2015 –
Global Interchanges: Resurgence of the Skyscraper City; Carol Willis, The Skyscraper Museum
This paper recaps the “what and why” of the super-slender type and gives an abbreviated illustration of the mechanics of the “logic of luxury.” The second part of the…

The New Supers: Super-Slender Towers of New York
26 Oct 2015 –
Global Interchanges: Resurgence of the Skyscraper City; Silvian Marcus, WSP Group
432 Park Avenue, the MoMA Tower and Steinway Tower at 111 West 57th Street are the first of a new generation of supertall buildings in New York City. 432 Park Avenue will…

New York: The Ultimate Skyscraper Laboratory
Oct 2015 –
CTBUH Journal, 2015 Issue IV; CTBUH Research
A timeline of skyscraper completions in New York uncannily resembles the boom and bust cycles of the United States in the 20th and early 21st centuries. The most active…

Perspectives on the Skyscraper City
Oct 2015 –
CTBUH Journal, 2015 Issue IV; New York 2015 Conference Special
To commemorate the CTBUH 2015 International Conference, some of the most prominent voices in the New York tall building industry today – all of whom are speaking at the…